"Sound paths into life" are honoured
Chemnitz music school project receives best practice award in Dortmund on 13 September
At the end of the five-year "Bündnisse für Bildung" funding period, the jury of the Association of German Music Schools (VdM) is honouring outstanding projects with a best practice award. The municipal music school's project "Klangwege ins Leben" has been selected for the award.
With its MusikLeben! funding concept, the VdM, along with 34 other associations and initiatives, has received funding for the implementation of "Kultur macht stark. Bündnisse für Bildung" programme for the period 2013 to 2017. The VdM was one of three associations to receive around 20 million euros.
Nationwide, 1223 projects were funded during this period. 15 projects will now be honoured at the event as part of the final conference at the Dietrich Keuning House in Dortmund.
About the Chemnitz project "Klangwege ins Leben"
Since 2014, the Chemnitz Municipal Music School has been running projects at two special schools - the "Johann-Heinrich-Pestalozzi" learning support centre and the Terra Nova Campus, Die Entdeckerschule (support centre for the physically disabled) . The school runs weekly courses at two special schools - the "Johann Friedrich Pestalozzi" learning support centre and the Terra Nova Campus, Die Entdeckerschule (support centre for the physically disabled) - in which a total of 20 children and young people aged between twelve and 16 are introduced to the basic elements of music.
Two music teachers, Mathis Stendike and Jan Heinke, familiarised the participants with using their own bodies as instruments. By teaching breathing and speaking techniques, singing and body percussion, they were given access to music. The musical preferences of the children and young people were recorded, processed and explored.
Building on this, the pupils were interested in and sensitised to other musical styles. The instrument-building programme was consolidated and continued. Further pieces of music were developed together. The variety of instruments presented was constantly expanded and other professional musicians were able to introduce the children and young people to their instruments. Initial experiences in terms of social skills, personal development and physical experience became apparent.
The interest of the participants in the voluntary course programme was very high. With this important prerequisite, the same participants were strengthened in their personal development in the following years of the project and grew together as partners. The project year ended with a performance at a public neighbourhood festival, where the children were able to show their parents, relatives and other interested parties what they had learned.
The aim was to broaden the children's musical horizons. In addition, the children were able to participate in social life as a whole. The course helped the children to overcome financial and mental hurdles by strengthening their personal and social skills.